Winter Storm Alert

ALERT: Need-Based Purchasing to Surge Over the Coming Days in the Highly Populated Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Expect Snow Removal and Winter Category Demand to Increase.

Snowfall this winter has been below normal across most major markets in eastern North America. While recent weeks have brought more measurable amounts to parts of the interior Northeast and New England, locations in the Mid-Atlantic region have received little to no snowfall. That is all about to change.

Beginning Thursday, moderate snowfall is expected across the Ohio Valley with areas further south seeing a wintry mix. The system moves into the Richmond and Washington, D.C. areas early Friday bringing the start of the snow accumulations. As Friday progresses, the system will strengthen and move north along the I-95 corridor dropping significant amounts of snow on major markets including D.C., Baltimore, and Richmond. At the same time, anticipate an area of significant icing further south which could include Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham.

The slow-moving system is expected to bring continuous, heavy snowfall to the entire Mid-Atlantic region through the day Saturday to include Philadelphia, New York City, and Hartford before tapering off south to north on Sunday. Before it’s all over, considerable snowfall amounts are also possible into southern New England. In addition to the heavy snow, the storm system will bring high winds along the I-95 corridor producing whiteout conditions for many, making travel nearly impossible. Impacts are likely to be significant across the entire region given the combination of heavy snow, heavy ice, and high winds which will include coastal flooding, beach erosion, downed trees, and widespread power outages. Sunday brings lingering snow showers for northern locations as the storm exits off the Northeast Coast.

The threat of significant snowfall combined with media attention will drive consumer purchasing over the coming days. Expect a sizeable increase in demand for need-based snow and ice removal categories as well as non-perishable food and drinks, wiper blades, windshield washer fluid, and emergency preparedness items such as generators, batteries, and packaged ice. As the storm will hit major population centers beginning on Friday and carrying through the weekend, many businesses in these areas should expect store traffic to decrease notably.

Please watch for your daily snow and ice alert emails that highlight the impacted locations for your business. In addition, please reach out to your Client Services Manager or contact our Client Services Hotline at +1-610-854-2222 to speak with a member of the Planalytics team.

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